Latch



Patented Feb. 18j, 1936 MNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in latches and more particularly to latches adapted for use with certain kinds of caskets, cases, cabinets and the like.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention is shown applied to a metal casket, the latch being mounted in the cover or lid and the escutcheon or keeper being located in the body portion.

Prior to this invention, various types of latches have been successfully applied to and used on caskets made from wood. Application of these latches to metal caskets, however, presented certain difficulties which necessitated definite revision before they could be used with any success. Two denite changes were necessary; one, to decrease the width of the plate on which the latch elements are mounted and two, to provide a spring of the type least susceptible to the presence of heat. The older type of pivoted latch bolt was mounted on a circular plate having a coil spring adjacent one edge thereof. A portion of the plate and spring overhung the latch bolt and, required for mounting, a flange or rim on the cover having greater width than is customarily allowed in the construction of metal caskets. The forward edge of the plate was therefore eliminated and a flat strip spring provided. 'I'his spring served the purpose of maintaining the latch bolt extendedV prior to mounting the latch in the casket. However, since these latches are welded or soldered in place, the heat thus generated partially or completely removed the temper from the fiat spring and failure invariably' took place after two or three subsequent manipulations of the latch.

It was thus evident that a coil spring was preferable but that this spring had to be so located as to keep the dimensions of the latch plate within the required limits for metal caskets. The present invention has been developed to overcome the objections above mentioned and provide a latch which may be successfully applied to and used as the securing means for the lid of a metal casket or other case of this class.

Further advantages of the invention may be more fully understood fromV a consideration of the following specication which is taken in conjunction with the accompany drawing and in which,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a casket body portion and cover, showing one modication of the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 showing the latch disengaged from its keeper and the cover slightly raised from the body portion;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the latch shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the latch prior to mounting;

Figure 5 is a view of the latch in released position showing the latch bolt disengaged from its keeper;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view showing the guide for the latch bolt, being taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an exploded `view of the elements of the latch; and

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the keeper. f

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Figure l, the reference numeral I 0 is employed to designate the body portion of a casket. A cover. Il is hinged to the body portion l0 and has an edge portion I2 overlying said body por- 2.0 tion. The rim I4 of the side wall of the body portion I0 is directed horizontally inwardly of the casket and terminates in a return bent flange l5. An opening it is formed in the rim I4 adjacent the vertical edge of the body portion l0. 25 Mounted in this opening is a keeper I8 having a flared rim I9. The rim I9 seats on the edge of the opening I6, being soldered or otherwise suitably joined thereto. In the vertical wall of the keeper there is provided an opening which 30 serves to receive the extendable portion of the latch bolt hereinafter described.

The cover or lid ll is provided with an inturned rim 22 which terminates in an upstanding flange 23. It is to be noted that the rim 22 35 overhangs the rirn lli and is much narrower, this structure being most suitable for the interior furnishings of the casket. An opening 24, o-f a size suitable to receive all the upstanding portions of the latch, is made in the rim 22. 'Ihe 40 latch includes a plate 25 through which a centrally located opening 26 is made. Mounted in this opening is a guide 2l. The guide is secured relative to the plate 25 by shoulders 28 and lugs 29 which latter are bent over against the upper 45 face of the plate. Projectingabove the plate and formed in the guide 2l are spaced flanges 3l in which are formed concentric openings 32. The latch bolt and operating handle are combined in one element generally indicated by the numeral 50 33. A handle portion 34 is continued to form a projection 35 through which an opening 36 is made. The projection 35 is located between the flanges 3l and is pivotal with respect thereto through a pivot pin 3l. Directed downwardly 55 from adjacent the projection 35 is a latch bolt 38. When the element 33 is mounted on the assembled plate and guide and 21, the bolt projects into the guide, being free to move forwardly or backwardly with respect thereto (see Figure 5). On the upper edge of the element 33, midway between the handle portion 34 and the projection 35, is an upstanding lug 39.

Secured to one face of the plate 25 is a bracket 4I which includes an upstanding portion 43 that terminates in a horizontal flange 44 and a downwardly directed lug 45. Two openings are made in the plate 25 one of which receives a downwardly projecting locating lug on the bracket 4I. The other opening centers with' an opening in the bracket through which the rivet 46 projects. An expansion spring 41 is mounted on the element 33, being positioned by the lug 39 and slightly compressed to engage the lug 45 with the bracket 4I. Thus the spring 41 normally tends to extend the latch bolt beyond the connes of the guide 21 substantially as shown in Figures l, 2 and 4 of the drawing.

The elements of the latch lying above the upper face of the plate 25 project into and through the opening 24 when the plate 25 is seated against the under face of the rim 22. One or more openings 48 are made in the plate 25 by which to facilitate a permanent solder connection as between the plate and the rim. When the latch is thus mounted, the guide 21 and latch bolt 38 vproject beneath the lid and are in alignment with the keeper I8. Since the rim of the keeper is rolled, when the lid I I is moved into closed position with respect to the body portion I0, the latch bolt strikes the keeper rim, moves inwardly of the guide compressing the spring 41, and as the lid assumes fully closed position, registers with the opening 2U in the keeper.

Although applicant has shown and described only one modification of this invention and its application to a metal casket or cabinet, it is obvious that other modifications or adaptations of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. A fastening device having a supporting plate, walls defining a central opening in said plate, la guide member, shoulders locating said guide member in said opening, lugs adjacent said shoulders xing said member to said plate, spaced flanges on said guide members projecting beyond one face of said plate, an upstanding bracket on said plate, a latch member, a projection on Vsaid latch member located between and pivotally supported by said flanges, a bolt on said v latch member projecting downwardly into said guide member, a handle on said latch member, a lug on said handle in vertical alignment with a part of said bracket, and a compression spring connecting said bracket with said lug and serving to normally urge a portion of said bolt beyond the coniines of said guide member.

2. A fastening device having a supporting plate, walls defining a central opening in said plate, a guide member, shoulders on said guide member seated against one face of said plate, lugs adjacent said shoulders iixing said guide member to said plate, spaced ilanges on said guide member projecting beyond one face of said plate, a latch member, a projection on said latch member between and pivotally supported by said flanges, a bolt on said latch member projecting through said plate opening into said guide member, a handle on said latch member, spring means for holding said handle depressed and said latch bolt extended, said spring means being remote from the pivotal support of said latch member and engageable with said handle to provide considerable pressure contrary to the direction of movement of said handle for releasing said bolt.

WYCLIFF'E L. CLARK. 

